Vault-light construction.



No. 741,010. laMiBN'rED ocT.13,19oa.

W. L. GALDWELL..

VA'ULT LIGHT CONSTRUCTION.

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No. 741,010. PATLNTED 0011.13, 1903. W. L. CALDWELL. Y vVLULT LICHTCONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATICNPILED AUC. 25, 1902.

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UNITED STATES aterlted October 1 3, 1Q.

WILLIAM L. CALDWELL, or NEW YORK,- N. Y.

VAUpLT-LIGHT CONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,010, dated October13., 1903.

` Application and August 25,1902. serial No. 120.912. (No man.;

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM L. CALDWELL,

Y a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan,in the city of New York, and county and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Im-4 provements in Vault-LightConstructions, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a more eective, economical,anddurable vaultliglit construction than those heretofore produced. c

The main feature of novelty in my present invention consists of avault-light glass of arch form constructed with plain outwardlyinclinedangeless side walls and centering depending lugs projecting beneath theframekloarsfor preventing lateral movement of the glasses upon thelatter. This form of glass affords greater strength and a largerlighting area for a given weight and price of glass than any other formof glass for vault-light constructions known to me, audits use renderspossible the employment of much larger and stronger frame-bars in theconstruction. Another advantage due to the use of archform glasseshaving centering depending lugs is that the glasses can be supportedentirely above the lower surface of the supporting-frame, therebyavoiding the objectionable projections beneath the frame, as in theordinary construction, and at the same time the glasses are preventedfrom moving laterally. These improved arch-form glasses may be moldedwith prisms or -withont prisms. When they are formed without prisms,they consist of a tread portion having parallel upper and lower surfacesand integral supporting outwardly-inclined side walls projecting down-Wardly from the tread portion to form an arched structure adapted torest upon the supporting frame. When the glasses are formed with prisms,they comprise avtread portion, a prism portion liush with oneend of theglass projecting approximately halfway beneath the tread portion andhaving its outer surface coincidentV with the outer surface of the treadportion and supporting outwardly -inclined Vside walls ernbracing andformed integral with the tread portion and the prism portion and-formingtherewith an arched structure. advantage of the improved arch form ofprism-'glass is that it more effectively diffuses the light in-a cellaror other room to be lighted.

the 'tread `portion allowing the rays of light to pass directlythrough,while the prism portion refraets the light-rays and throws themback of the vault-light and diffusesthem throughout the cellar.

YIn my improved construction I employ a metal framework of angle-barshaving horizontal flanges and parallel inverted-T-frame bars, havinghorizontal danges upon which the supporting outwardly-inclined sidewalls of the glasses rest and between which the centering-lugs depend,and vertical Webs formed with transverse slots-or openings at intervalsto allow the cement or other binding material in which the glasses areembedded to extend through and securely lock the glasses and theframe-bars in place upon the angle-bars. I prefer to arrange the slots`or openings in the vertical webs of the T- 4frame barsgat suchintervals that the abutting faces of the glasses will be in the samevertical planes as the said openings. I also employ metal straps forpassing over suitable horizontal shoulders formed on the glasses andthrough the slots or openings of the vertical webs for locking Atheglasses in place upon the framework.

'In order that my invention may be fully understood,I will firstdescribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings and willafterward point out the novelty vmore particularly in the annexedclaims.

Figure 1 is a detail plan viewof a portion of a vault-light constructionaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthelsame, taken on 'the line o a of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsectional view of the-same, taken on the line hb -of Fig. e. Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view taken on the line c c of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6are perspective views of one of the improved arch-form prism-glasses.Fig. 7 is `a View similar to Fig. 3, showing a slight modifica- Afurther i tion of the invention. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional viewshowing a spreader for holding the inverted-T-frame bars in position.

In constructing lthe vault-cover in accordance with my invention Iutilize angle-bars 1 for the inner and outer ends of the opening whichis to be bridged, having horizontal flanges ln. Mounted upon and securedto the horizontal flanges 1"L of these angle-bars 1 are a series ofinverted-T-frame bars 2, which are arranged parallel to each otherbetween the supporting angle-bars 1 and are secured at their ends in anysuitable manner, such as by means of bolts or rivets 3. It is not alwaysnecessary to bolt or rivet the T-frame bars to the angle-bars. To holdthe T-frame bars in the proper relative position, I ernployspreader-bars 4, having slots 4a, which tit over and receive the upperedges of the vertical webs of the T-fraine bars within the angle-bars 1over the horizontal flanges of the latter. The vertical webs of theseparallel inverted-T-frame bars 2 are formed at intervals with openings5, which are preferably of segmental or semicircular form, as shown inFig. 3, but which may be of circular form, as shown in Fig. 7. rIheseopenings 5 are spaced, so as to correspond in position with the verticalplanes in which the end faces of the glasses abut or come together, forthe purpose which will presently be eX- plained.

1 employ, preferably, arch-form glasses, such as shown in detail in'Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, each glass comprising a tread portion 10,downwardly-projecting triangular prism portion 11 flush with one end ofthe glass and having its outer exposed face coincident or Hush with theouter face of the tread portion 10, the outwardly-inclined supportinglangeless side walls 12, embracing the tread portion 10 and prismportion 1l, the approximately vertical matched end walls 13 and 14, thelatter of which constitutes the vertical face of the prism portion, thehorizontal shoulders 15, formed at the ends just beneath the outersurface of the tread portion 10, and the centering depending lugs16,'projectingslightly beneaththeloweredges of the side walls 12 andformed by the lower projecting lower end of the prism portion 11. Theside walls l2 may be further braced by a shallow web 17, connecting themat the end opposite the prism portion 11, although this web 17 is notessential and if present should be very shallow to avoid interferingwith the action of the prism portion which abuts it.

The glasses are placed upon the horizontal flanges of theinverted-T-frame bars 2, so as to be supported by their side walls 12,the T- frame bars being held just the proper distance apart by thespreader-bars 4 to allow the projecting lower end of the prism 11 to fitsnugly between the horizontal flanges, so

that centering-lugs 16 will engage the iianges of the T-frame bars andprevent the lateral displacement of the glasses. When the glasses are inposition, with the vertical face 13 of one abutting the vertical face 14of another, the tie wires or straps 2O are put in place by passing themthrough the openings 5 in the vertical webs and over the abuttingshoulders 15 of the adjacent glasses, these tie wires or straps beingpulled tightly into place for securing the glasses upon the T-framebars, as shown particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

When the glasses are in place upon their supporting-frame, spaces areleft at the ends thereof in -the anglebars and upwardly-tiaring spacesare left between the angeless side walls and the vertical webs extendingfrom the horizontal flanges to the surfaces of the tread portions 10,and the cement (indicated by the reference-number 25) is then carefullypacked into position, so 'as to snugly embed the glasses, setting orforming around the outwardly-inclined side walls 12, over the abuttingshoulders 15, and in the openings 5 of the vertical webs of thesupporting inverted-T frame bars. Vhen the cement is properly packed inplace, the tread-surfaces of the glasses are rubbed clean with oakum orother.

suitable material in the manner well understood.

VBy reason of the arched form of glass employed I am enabled to useT-frame bars of larger size and greater strength than has everheretofore been utilized for vault-light constructions, the hollow formof the glass en- `abling me to use a glass of larger size withoutmaterially increasing the weight or eX- pense and without decreasing thestrength of the structure. The arch forni of glass supports the treadportion sufciently above the lower surfaces of the side walls to enablethe use of large sizes of T-frame bars.A The combination tread portionand prism portion of glasses is of great utility, not only because itaffords means for the direct transmission of light to the vault, butalso because, combined with the prisln portions, it utilizes theretracted light. By the provision of the centering-lugs I am venabled todispense with the fianges on the side walls of the glasses in previousconstructions.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A vault-light glass of arch form constructed with a tread, supportingside walls and a centering depending lug between the side walls andprojecting beneath the latter for preventing lateral movement of theglass.

2. A vault-light glass of arch form constructed with a tread, supportingside walls, horizontal shoulders and adepending shallow web for bracingthe side walls.

.3. A vault-light glass of arch form constructed with a tread,supporting side walls,

IOO

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a prism located between the sidewalls and having a centering dependinglug projecting beneath the side walls for preventing lateral movement ofthe glass.

4. A vault-light glass of arch form constructed with atread,outwardlyinclined supporting side walls, horizontal shoulders, aprism flush with one end of the glass located between the side walls andhaving a centering depending lng projecting beneaththe side walls forpreventing lateral movement of the glass.

5. A vault-light construction comprising a supporting-frame, consistingof angle-bars, parallel frame-bars having horizontal ilanges andvertical webs and supported by their ends upon the angle-bars, glassessupported upon the horizontal flanges of the frame-bars, and bindingmaterial in which the glasses are embedded.

6. A vault-light construction comprising parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal flanges and vertical webs, glasses having outwardlyinclinedside walls, supported on the horizontal iianges, and arranged end toend, and providing upwardly-daring spaces in connection with thevertical webs, and binding material filling the spaces.

7. A vault-light construction comprising parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal lian ges and vertical webs, glasses having outwardlyinclinediiangeless side walls supported on the horizontal flanges and arrangedend to end, and providing upwardly-flaring spaces in connection with thevertical webs extending from the base of the side walls, and bindingmaterial lling the spaces.

S. A vault-light construction comprising parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal iianges and vertical webs, glasses supported on thehorizontal flanges and arranged end to end, each glass having acentering depending lug projecting between the horizontal flanges forpreventing lateral movement ot the glasses, and binding material fillingthe spaces between the glasses and the vertical webs.

9. lA vault-light vconstruction comprising a supporting-frame consistingof anglebars having horizontal flanges, parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal anges and vertical webs,

and supported by their ends upon the anglebars, and spreader-bars havingslots receiving the upper edges of the vertical webs ot' the frame-barsand located over the horizontal langes of the angle-bars, glassessnpported upon the horizontal flangesof the frame-bars and bindingmaterial in which the spreader-bars and glasses are embedded.

10. A vault-light construction comprising parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal flanges and vertical webs formed with openings at intervals,glasses supported upon the horizontal flanges and arranged end to endwith their abutting faces in the same vertical planes as the openingsinthe vertical webs of the framebars, and binding material in which theglasses are embedded extending through the said openings. c

1l. A vault-light construction comprising parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal flanges and vertical Webs formed with openings atintervals,glasses having outwardly-inclined side Walls,supported on the horizontal flanges, and arranged end to end with their abutting ends in thesame vertical planes as the openings in the vertical webs of theframe-bars and providing, in connection with the webs, upwardly-daringspaces, and binding material filling the spaces.

12.7A vault-light construction comprising asupporting-frame consistingof angle-bars having horizontal flanges, parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal flanges and vertical webs formed with openings and supportedby their ends upon the angle-bars, glasses supported upon the horizontallian ges of the frame-bars, and binding material, in which the glassesare embedded, extending through the openings in the vertical webs of theframe-bars.

13. A vault-light construction comprising a supporting-frame consistingof angle-bars having horizontal iianges, parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal anges, and vertical webs formed with openings and supportedby their ends upon the horizontal flanges of the anglebars andspreader-bars having slots receiving theV upper edges of the verticalwebs of the frame-bars and located within the angle-bars, glassessupported by their ends upon the horizontal flanges of the frame-barsand binding material in which the spreaderbars and glasses are embedded,extending through the openings in the webs of the frame-bars.

14:. A vault-light construction comprising a supporting-frame consistingof angle-bars having horizontal flanges, parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal flanges and vertical webs formed with openings and supportedby their ends upon the an gie-hars, glasses having horizontal shouldersand supported upon the horizontal iianges of the trame-bars, strapsextending over the horizontal shoulders and through the openings in thevertical Webs, and binding material in which the glasses and straps areembedded, extending through the openings in the vertical Webs of theframebars.

15. A vault-light construction comprising parallel frame-bars havinghorizontal flanges and vertical webs formed with openings at intervals,glasses supported upon the horizontal flanges, and each having abuttinghorizontal shoulders and a strap extending through the web openings andover the horizontal shoulders, and binding material in which the glassesand vertical webs are embedded eX- tending through the web-openings.

16. A vault-.light construction comprising a frame constructed withangle-bars having horizontal flanges, parallel frame-bars having I-POIIO

horizontal flanges and vertical Webs formed and binding material inwhich the glasses, x

with openings atintervals, and spreader-bars l vertical Webs, andspreader-bars are embedhaving slots receiving the upper edges of the dedextending through the Web-openings and Vertical Webs of the frame-barsand located beneath the spreader-bars. over the horizontal flanges ofthe angle-bars, glasses supported upon the horizontal ianges and eachhaving abutting horizontal shoulders and straps extending through thewebopenings and over the horizontal shoulders,

WILLIAM L. CALDWELL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. P. ROGERS, WM. E. KNIGHT.

